The various types of social assistance and documents to obtain it – these are precisely the issues of most concern to the Roma of Nizhyn, Chernihiv region. On December 2, 2016 NGO "Bakhtalo Drom" conducted the field consultation for them. The head of the organization, lawyer Mykhailo Bilyavsky told about other examples of legal aid to the Roma community.

Field consultation in Nezhyn took place in the framework of the project "Awareness-raising work with the Roma regarding the payment of social benefits", which is implemented by NGO "Bakhtalo Drom" with the support of Roma Program Initiative of the International Renaissance Foundation. The project began in October, and now the lawyers have some insights on the issues and best practices for future work.

Roma do not understand the difference between the services of social protection and employment

“After monitoring the problem, we found that more than half of the Roma of Chernihiv region (in total there are about 2,000 Roma) do not understand the difference between social security management and employment service”, said Mykhailo Bilyavsky.

Therefore, the lawyers of the organization addressed the Director of the Department of social protection of the population of Chernihiv at the RSA Oleg Rusin and agreed to cooperate. In particular, now once a month Oleg Rusin will accept the Roma to advise, to help solve complex issues.

Pregnant women do not want or do not know where to register

"People are interested in the questions of how to arrange documents to obtain child support, to renew the various types of assistance. It is important to get benefits to care for a disabled child. There is also the issue of pregnant women, in order they could receive benefits for pregnancy and childbirth”, said the lawyer.

For example, during a meeting in the beautiful ancient city lawyers did not only provide advice to the local resident Nina Stepanenko (pictured below with Mykhailo Bilyavsky), but did all necessary to help the pregnant woman receive prenatal care and then – the benefits for pregnancy and childbirth.